Last week, I reviewed Caron Nuit de Noel, a classic perfume that’s very Caron-y but not really Christmas-y (or at least it doesn’t remind me of Christmas). This had me thinking, which perfumes smell like Christmas? I’ve always thought Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguelles, a perfume that reminds me of spicy evergreens and apple cider, is holiday-ish. Etro Rajasthan reminds me of Swedish Christmas cookies. Spicy perfumes like Aramis JHL and Estee Lauder Cinnabar remind me of Christmas firs and dry spices used in baking. As I was thinking about “Christmas Perfumes”, I realized that I was forgetting one that says Christmas as loudly as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: MariaLux Mogadess.
Mogadess opens with a shot of Fireball (Cinnamon Whisky). This is a spicy, hot fragrance with a prominent boozy cinnamon note. As it wears, there’s a gilded orange illuminating the fiery spices. It starts to smell like a spiked cinnamon/persimmon cider (sujeongwa) and chocolate dipped candied orange slices. The dry-down is a warm, comforting blend of woods, spices and incense. This actually reminds me of kyphi, a historic Egyptian incense made with spices like cardamom, exotic woods and resins. I think anyone that has spent time at Midnight Mass, they’d pick up on the church-y incense in this base, which is underneath warm spices and a sweetened amber.
I realized that I often associate “Christmas” smells with commercial products used to market Christmas (i.e. cinnamon, evergreens and oranges). So for something to smell like Christmas, I’m looking for a fragrance that conjure more of the USA commercial/capitalist fantasies than personal memories. Mogadess does this. It’s like all the scents that Bloomingdale’s flagship pipes into the streets during Christmas, but refined and put in a brandy-inspired decanter.
Notes listed include orange blossom, red pepper, bitter orange, strawberry, tagette, rosewood, benzoin, cacao, cinnamon, cardamom, tarragon, sandalwood, olibanum (frankincense), amber and vanilla. Launched in 2014. PERFUMER – Alessandro Gualtieri
Give Mogadess a try if you like spicy gourmand scents or cinnamon-heavy scents. Or perfumes like Serge Lutens Rousse, Malle Musc Raageur, Nanadebary Bronze, L’Erbolario Méharées, DSH Perfumes Sienna and/or Parfums de Marly Oajan.
Projection is average. Longevity is above average.
The 2 oz bottle retails for $160 at LuckyScent. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Shot of cinnamon whisky and chocolate covered candied oranges. It’s not something that I’m going to wear frequently but when I want this, I want this. It’s warm, comforting and cozy…think of it like wearing a “feel good” Christmas movie.
Are there any perfumes that remind you of Christmas? What are they?
Want more reviews? Try…
Fragrantica – Member reviews
Perfumowy Blog – Translated from Polish
Hmmm, Christmas scents – maybe Coco, as it I s festive and forever connected to a perfect evening (that wasn’t Christmas, but around New Years). Fille en Anguilles is a gorgeous love for me, and definitely Christmasy – pine done beautifully. Everyone seems to equate Nuit de Noel with Christmas, and I finally just ordered a decant, but the notes def don’t say Christmas as you wrote in your review, which spurred my order.
Never mind all that, I just want the lipstick Piper Laurie has on! (suggestions for something like color and texture that would be welcome!!)
The more I think about this, the more Fille en Anguilles is my “winter holidays” scent. It reminds me of this time of year so much. I also associate Coco with a perfect time 🙂
Nuit de Noel is very pretty but it doesn’t bring to mind Christmas. If someone had sprayed it on a blotter without me seeing the bottle or if I didn’t know the name, I wouldn’t have guessed it was inspired by Christmas. There’s none of the things that I look for (like evergreens) in my “Happy Holidays” perfumes.
Isn’t that shade gorgeous? This pic had me looking for some juicy, plumpy, delicious shade like this. I’m sure I probably have something like this that has been neglected. It’s so hard to tell with anything that is red-ish because it can pull orange or pink on different people. I have a few suggestions but can only speak as to how they wear on my pale-self.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss in Punchy Red – This brand gets so much love for the liquid lipsticks but I like the gloss. They are full-coverage and so pigmented. They aren’t long-wearing (and probably a pain if you eat, drink… are a functioning human) but the colors are beautiful…even the slightly violent sounding “Punchy Red” 😉
Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick in Midnight Bloom– I’ve fallen back in love with this formula this winter (very nourishing). This color is red but somehow soft? For me, I’m loving this as my “day red” right now.
Estee Lauder Liquid Lip Potion in Quiet Riot – This shade is pink-er on me but so “fresh”. It really reminds me of something Piper Laurie would have worn so maybe that is coloring my suggestion. I like this formula but really wish it were cheaper. When did EL lip products start selling for over $30?!
I think there has to be a shade like this by those brands that do the dual formulas of a stain/lipstick and a gloss on the end. I feel like Revlon, L’Oreal or Kiko would have to have something like this?
We need to get you a sample of Captured by Candlelight, although that might only smell like a British Christmas.
Now I’m curious as to what British Christmas smells like!
As weird as it sounds, when I find a fragrance that smells like fresh marjoram (Tokyo Milk Arsenic is the first that comes to mind), it reminds me very much of Christmases when I was a little girl. I think that’s because when I first smelled fresh marjoram (which to my nose smells a little sweet, slightly piney, maybe a touch of citrus, and vaguely musty?) I realized it smelled exactly like the box of Avon Christmas ornaments and gewgaws and tchotchke that we’d haul down from the attic, dust off, and disperse during the holidays.
mlleghoul recently posted..Memento Mori For Darkling Botanists
That’s the perfect description of marjoram. I often find herbs like sage and marjoram musky but with that citrus peel meets evergreen freshness. Speaking of, marjoram should be in more fragrances. I see it usually paired with ambers but there has to be a different angle for such a naturally complex aroma?
[…] – Are there any perfumes that remind you of Christmas? This niche perfume by MariaLux with notes of cinnamon, oranges and incense reminds me of winter […]
[…] – Are there any perfumes that remind you of Christmas? This niche perfume by MariaLux with notes of cinnamon, oranges and incense reminds me of winter […]
[…] – Are there any perfumes that remind you of Christmas? This niche perfume by MariaLux with notes of cinnamon, oranges and incense reminds me of winter […]
[…] – Are there any perfumes that remind you of Christmas? This area of interest fragrance by MariaLux with notes of cinnamon, oranges and incense jogs my memory of winter […]
[…] – Are there any perfumes that remind you of Christmas? This niche perfume by MariaLux with notes of cinnamon, oranges and incense reminds me of winter […]